Physical therapy continuing education requirements are different for every state. They may even differ for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in the same state. Currently there is no national regulating body. Arizona PT continuing education requirements are developed by the Arizona board of physical therapy.
This guide focuses on the CEU requirements for physical therapists; if you are a PTA, you can find the dedicated page for Arizona PTA CEU requirements here.
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Total CEUs Required
Almost all states have continuing education requirements for physical therapists. Generally, PTs are required to complete a specific number of CEUs every one to two years. The CEU due date is often, but not always, the same as the license expiration date.
Total CEUs required: 20
CEU Due Date: Aug. 31, 2026
As a PT in Arizona, you need 20 CEUs every two years by August 31st of even years.
Currently, CEUs need to be completed between Sept. 1, 2024 and Aug. 31, 2026.
First Renewal Rules
CEUs required: Prorated
For physical therapists renewing for the first time, some states require the full number of CEUs, some require a prorated amount and some do not require any continuing education at all.
The rules may depend on whether you were licensed by examination or by endorsement. Generally, if you are newly licensed by examination, the exemption or prorated amount will apply to you. However, if you are newly licensed by endorsement, you will likely be expected to complete the full number of CEUs.
PTs in Arizona are required to complete a prorated number of CEUs for their first renewal.
According to the Arizona Board of Physical Therapy rules:
"If the licensee’s initial license is for one year or less, the licensee shall earn 10 contact hours from Category A continuing competence activities during the initial compliance period. No more than five of the required contact hours from Category A may be obtained from nonclinical course work."
Special Requirements
Category A - 10 CEUs
Some states have requirements regarding specific topics or activity types. There may be a certain number of CEUs required, or you may have to complete a particular course or exam. The CEUs you earn for special requirements can usually be applied toward your total.
Arizona requires physical therapists to complete the following as part of their total CEU requirement.
Category A - 10 CEUs
Per the Arizona Administrative Rules: “At least 10 contact hours must be from Category A, up to the entire 20 contact hour requirement. No more than 10 hours may be utilized from a combination of Category B and/or Category C activities. What distinguishes Category A activities is that they are approved for contact hours by one of the following: 1) an accredited medical, PT or health care education program; 2) a national or state medical, PT or health care association, or a component of the association; 3) a national medical, PT or healthcare specialty society. This category includes continuing education courses, PT clinical specialty certification coursework, PT clinical residency coursework and post-graduate PT education from an accredited college or university. Each 60 minutes of instruction equals 1 contact hour. The rules state that no more than half of the required contact hours from Category A can be obtained from non-clinical coursework or activities."
Source: Arizona
Clinical Instructor CE Rules
CEUs allowed: Yes
Many states allow physical therapists to earn CEUs for acting as a clinical instructor. For every state that does, there is usually a maximum number of CEUs you can earn this way. In addition, each state has a conversion rate to determine how many hours of supervision equals one CEU.
Arizona does allow physical therapists to earn continuing education credit for acting as a clinical instructor.
Per the Arizona rules and regulations:
Description
Clinical instruction involves assisting a student physical therapist or physical therapist assistant or a physical therapist resident or fellow acquire clinical skills required of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. An individual to whom clinical instruction is provided shall be enrolled in: a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education; or a physical therapist residency or fellowship program approved by the American Physical Therapy Association.
Conversion
Each 120 hours of clinical instruction equals one contact hour
Max CEUs allowed
A PT clinical instructor in Arizona can earn a maximum of 5 CEUs during each renewal cycle.
Choosing Courses
To choose the right physical therapy continuing education courses, consider a few key factors. First, choose topics that are interesting to you, applicable to your current clinical setting, or helpful for transitioning to a new role. However, personal interest isn’t the only priority; make sure the course is specifically approved for your state. Finally, consider the cost, especially if your employer doesn’t pay for continuing education.
A subscription site can simplify this process. They provide unlimited access to a wide variety of subjects, with both live and recorded options, all for one reasonable price. Most sites offer courses in every state, though you should always check for individual course approval. Just because one course is approved for PTs in Arizona, you shouldn't assume all courses on that site are approved for PTs in Arizona. Before signing up for a course, check with the CE provider to see if it is approved.
Discounts on CEUs
To help take the guesswork out of your search, we’ve partnered with a few of our favorite platforms to offer you the best discounts!
Medbridge offers the largest selection with 2,000+ online PT continuing education courses including recorded courses, podcasts and live webinars.
You can read our Medbridge review to learn more about why we love it and continue to use it.
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PhysicalTherapy.com offers a lower-priced option with 500+ evidence-based courses including live webinars, recorded webinars, text courses and audio courses.
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Compact Privileges
Compact privileges: Yes
Arizona is actively issuing PT Compact privileges.
What is the PT Compact?
The Physical Therapy Compact allows a PT licensed in one state to quickly and easily obtain privileges to practice in another state.
In order to take advantage of compact privileges, both your home state (the state you have your driver’s license in) as well as the state you want to practice in need to be part of the compact.
Compact privileges are intended to be temporary. If you move to a new state and you hold a compact privilege there, you won't be able to continue using that privilege. You'll need to apply for a license by endorsement in your new home state.
The PT Compact and CEU Requirements
Compact privileges have the same expiration date as your home state. You only need to meet the continuing education requirements of your home state, but you may need to complete a jurisprudence exam for certain states.
Sources
CEU Keeper strives to simplify Arizona continuing education requirements for physical therapists. We like to say “we read the rules so you don’t have to”. While we do read them often, the rules are subject to change and it’s always best to confirm or clarify directly from the source, the state board website.
Conclusion
Understanding PT continuing education requirements can be confusing. When searching for this information on social media, it’s important to remember requirements can be different for each state and profession. If you ask a question about physical therapy requirements, be sure to specify your state and either PT or PTA. With that said, you can always ask us your questions. We want to help and it's what we do!
Curious how Arizona PT CEU requirements compare to other states? Check out our state list of physical therapy CEU requirements.